Apparatus and Method for Performing Garbage Collection in a Memory System

2. The memory system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an operation mode based on the first count.

4. The memory system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, in the second mode, the time or the period for performing the garbage collection, based on a comparison result of the second count and a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

5. The memory system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine, in the second mode, the time or the period for performing the garbage collection to make a speed of securing the additional second memory block slower than the transition speed, when the second count is larger than the minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

6. The memory system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine, in the second mode, the time or period for performing the garbage collection to make a speed of securing the additional second memory block faster than the transition speed, when the second count is less than a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

7. The memory system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine, in the second mode, the time or period for performing the garbage collection to match a speed of securing the additional second memory block with the transition speed, when the second count is equal to a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

8. The memory system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, in the first mode, the time or period for performing the garbage collection based on a difference between the threshold and a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

9. The memory system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, in the first mode, whether to perform the garbage collection based on a count of memory blocks, each of which has a ratio of valid pages less than a set reference among the at least one first memory block.

10. The memory system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine, in the first mode, the time or the period for performing the garbage collection based on a set ratio of resources employed by the controller.

11. The memory system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the set ratio of resources based on a ratio between a first estimate of time to perform an operation in response to a request input from an external device and a second estimate time to perform the garbage collection.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, in the second mode, the time or the period for performing the garbage collection is determined based on a comparison result of the second count and a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determining the time or the period, in the second mode, comprises determining the time or period for performing the garbage collection to make a speed of securing the additional second memory block slower than the transition speed, when the second count is larger than the minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determining the time or the period, in the second mode, comprises determining the time or period for performing the garbage collection to make a speed of securing the additional second memory block faster than the transition speed, when the second count is less than a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determining the time or the period, in the second mode, comprises determining the time or period for performing the garbage collection to match a speed of securing the additional second memory block with the transition speed, when the second count is equal to a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the determining the time or the period, in the first mode, comprises determining the time or period for performing the garbage collection based on a difference between the threshold and a minimum requirement regarding the at least one second memory block.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the determining the time or the period, in the first mode, comprises the time or the period for performing the garbage collection based on a set ratio of resources employed by the memory system.